injured the most), not enough, however, to materially injure the sale of the crop. 

 The reader will perceive that these plants always had the best of care ; they grew 

 strongly, forming thick, bushy heads, densely crowded with superfluous wood and 

 foliage, but never were pruned. At this time I suggested to neighbor B. the 

 necessity of giving his plants a thorough pruning early the next spring, at the 

 same time predicting that if he did not, the next crop would be a total failure. 

 He remarked that he knew of certain old plants that never were pruned, and 

 annually produced good fruit, and said, if he pruned according to my directions, 

 he would materially lessen the amount of his next crop, and apparently put but 

 little faith in the virtue of pruning to prevent the mildew. Last spring (1855) 

 they were manured, and the ground worked as soon as it was in order ; the foliage 

 and blossoms came out handsomely, and they set a prodigious quantity of fruit, 

 which, when about half grown, was attacked by the mildew, and in a few days 

 this fine looking crop, which promised at first so well, was wholly ruined, the 

 berries being thickly coated with an ash or brownish looking substance, which 

 immediately stopped their growth. They also lost their leaves about this time, 

 and their naked branches, densely loaded with miserable looking fruit, presented 

 the pjost melancholy sight that I ever beheld in gooseberry culture. Friend B. 

 is now down on gooseberry culture generally, and would not plant any more if he 

 could get them for nothing ; but I am inclined to think that the fault is more his 

 than that of the gooseberries. 



SPORTS BECOMING PERMANENT. 



The preservation and improvement of the races of domesticated plants is a 

 most interesting topic. Grafts carry the diseases of the parent with them ; again 

 divided, the disease is again propagated, and this will go on. So from sports, the 

 means employed to preserve these peculiarities of habit may be, and often are, a 

 most important matter, and from these, still more valuable qualities may make 

 their appearance. 



Fig. 1. 



Monstrous Canterbury BcU. 



YOL. VI.— OCTOBEE, 1856. 



30 



